


The Missing Ring

by anxiouslyfred



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Patton Centric, helpful janus, lost ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:20:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29470830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxiouslyfred/pseuds/anxiouslyfred
Summary: Roman gave LAMP friendship rings years ago and now Patton’s lost his friendship ring and Janus is helping to find it.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	The Missing Ring

Patton had lost the ring, and all he could do was curl up an cry for a while after realising it.

Bad enough that they'd stopped talking recently, one argument too many making hanging out awkward now, but losing the ring was just too much for him to handle.

Eventually Janus found him, leaning against one of the kitchen counters and trying to write down everywhere he'd been since the last time he was definitely wearing the ring heading out for a walk that morning. “Pat, is something wrong?”

He just held up his hand to explain, knowing with how attentive his friend was the missing ring would be recognised.

“Can I help you find it?” The question had Patton tearing off his list from the notepad. So far it included the places outside of their home he'd been. He could write down the things he'd done at home and start looking for them on his own.

Janus paused after reading the list, looking Patton over once more. “Okay, I'll make you some tea and then try to retrace your steps. Did you go to Mammoth lake on your walk, or the opposite direction?”

Patton nodded to Mammoth. He didn't feel like talking, or rather was sure if he spoke he'd start breaking down all over again which wouldn't help him find the ring.

/\/\

_They been laughing over a film when Roman had brought the rings out. None of them had questioned it, used to their Prince's accessorising._

_It had just been Patton, Logan, Roman and Virgil when he did this, years before the brothers reconciled and they met Janus. They'd decided to have a sleepover at Roman's the night before Logan and Patton had to return to dormitories._

“ _You know, Ariel always reminds me of those friendship bracelets the girls at my school obsessed over when we were 8 or 9.” Roman began explaining, laying out the rings he'd fetched on the floor between them. “I was so jealous cause all my friends thought they were just for girls.”_

“ _The gender binary is a scam and everyone loses to it.” Virgil had muttered, scowling down for a moment before holding his hand out. “Just give me whichever you want as a friendship ring, Princey. I know you've already tried to match them to us.”_

_Patton had put his hand out at the same time, squealing a little as the ring was placed on his finger._

_Logan had been the only one not to offer a hand to Roman, pausing to watch for a moment. “Indeed these are the years when we can start to do all the things we wished we could when we were young. If you give me a moment however I can fetch a ring I believe will match these to be your best friends ring, Roman.”_

/\/\

The years had changed their friendship group, slowly stealing the dreams their younger selves held while bringing new ones to them. Recently though the dilemmas Roman was struggling with only seemed to be exacerbated when Patton tried to help. Whether talking things through as a group or just talking individually they'd always end up hurt by each other by the time they said goodbye, sending messages apologising hours later.

Honestly, both of them were going through some battles of morality with their jobs and other relationships and Patton had hoped that if they managed to relax for a while they could help each other again.

Losing the ring felt like an ending; As though all his attempts to repair their friendship would amount to nothing and their friendship would decline from here.

Patton was trying everything he could to deny feeling like that, cleaning everywhere around their house as he searched for it. The kitchen shelves had never been so well organised and the garden hadn't been weeded half so well in years.

There was still no ring to be found.

“Patton, honey, have you managed to find it?” Janus called, walking down the hall of their home, the door shutting behind him.

“Not yet, but the garden looks amazing.” Patton put on his cheeriest voice, glancing at the list he'd kept on the side. “I'm going to see if it's beside the freezer now.”

“Okay, Darling. Perhaps we can go through it and empty anything that should probably be thrown away into the bin. It might have fallen to the bottom of the freezer if it came off while you were in there.” Janus suggested, although his phone was in his hands. “I couldn't find it on my walk, but there was a number to call at the recycling bins you mentioned taking the glass bottles to. I'll call them now to see if they're able to help us find it at all.”

Patton nodded, already heading to the freezer. “I'll get started on freezing then.”

/\/\

It had been a week and the ring hadn't turned up. Patton had only met up with Roman and Virgil for a walk so his gloves had hidden the missing ring. Remus had come around randomly halfway through the week and registered that his was missing, coming up with some wild break up stories for whatever had happened. Janus had forced him to stop when Patton retreated from the conversation as much as he could.

Now he was really facing admitting the truth that he'd lost the ring and hoped Roman would forgive him, but Patton just wanted a little longer imagining everything was fine with their friendship. He'd call after having something for lunch and see if they could have afternoon tea or something.

His plans for getting lunch were hindered slightly by no bread being defrosted but he could get the last few slices separated out in the freezer and microwave them easily enough.

Janus was cooking some soup for himself while Patton was getting stuff for his sandwich out and started shaking the bag out to be thrown away. They'd always do it, empty any extra crumbs into a tin to dry. Just a few occasional treats to throw out among the birdseed.

A metallic clanging was not something they usually heard however and was immediately followed by Patton's name being called.

There in the tin was the missing friendship ring.

“The ring was in the freezer this entire week?” Patton asked, clinging to the ring despite how cold it still felt.

“Must have been. Did you need to defrost bread for your lunch last weekend?” Janus nodded, thinking through what seemed to have happened.

Patton was beaming when he replied. “Of course, but I did check the bag. It must have fallen to the bottom and gotten hidden by the frost.”

“Looks like the universe is going to work harder if it wants to end your friendship foursome, won't it?” Janus gently teased.

Patton wagged a finger at him in response. “I'm fairly sure there are six of us now, Janus.”


End file.
